Projects we are working on

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Projects we are working on


Here is some of the research that has already made an impact, along with new projects that are on track to make a difference.

Investigational study on new intraocular lenses for cataract surgery

The Kensington Eye Institute is embarking on two clinical trials of intraocular lenses (IOL) used in cataract surgery. One study will compare the vision of two different, routinely used lenses. The second is a multi-centre trial looking at the safety and performance of an investigative lens not yet commercially available.

Corneal transplant study 

The Cornea Group at the Kensington Eye Institute is comparing the outcomes if a partial corneal transplant performed with the standard manual technique to those performed with a laser. Enrollment of 100 participants is almost complete, after which they will be followed for a year. This research has been funded by the Kensington Research Institute.

Predict postcut thickness of corneal grafts 

Dr. Clara Chan, Medical Director at the Eye Bank of Canada (Ontario Division), co-authored a study published in Cornea: The Journal of Cornea of External Disease. The study looks at a method to increase the amount of eye tissue available for transplant by predicting the postcut thickness of corneal grafts.


The cataract quality outcome initiative 

This research project is led by the Kensington Eye Institute and involves four sites and 12 surgeons across the province. The team is looking to compare vision and visual difficulties of participants before and after their cataract surgeries. This research has been funded by the Kensington Research Institute.

Understanding intrinsic suffering

Maxxine Rattner, social worker at Kensington Hospice, has developed a new conceptual and clinical framework to help palliative care clinicians across disciplines think about intrinsic suffering. Intrinsic suffering acknowledges that, despite palliative care’s primary aim to prevent and relieve suffering, there are some parts of dying that are intrinsically hard, leaving them resistant to alleviation—such as loss, worry for family and feeling burdensome. The paper was published in 2016 in the Journal of Social Work in End-of-Life & Palliative Care and Maxxine recently shared the results of this study at Physicians Advanced Learning in Palliative Medicine Conference, and will also be sharing the results at the upcoming International Palliative Care Congress in Montreal this fall.


Virtual Retreat

Residents at Kensington Gardens were part of a study looking at whether virtual reality can play a role in improving quality of life. Dr. Lora Appel, researcher with OpenLab at the University Health Network, has been focusing her virtual reality research afforts on seniors with cognitive impairments who may be living in restricted environments. The project is looking at whether a change of scenery through virtual reality can make people feel happier and less restricted.

Funding for research was given by the Centre for Aging and Brain Health Innovation (CABHI) through their Spark Grant.

Posted in Featured, Research on Jul 19, 2019

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